New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) Destitute girls residing at a government remand home pleaded to judges of the higher judiciary Saturday to ensure that rescued sex workers are not lodged with them as they cast a “dubious influence” upon them.
The plea was made at the Children’s Day function, organised at the Supreme Court lawns by National Legal Services Authority, headed by senior apex court judge Tarun Chatterjee. The function was attended by several Delhi High Court judges, including Mukul Mudgal and Madan B. Lokur.

“The girls rescued from Kamla Nagar and G.B. Road areas (the red light area of the city) are lodged with us and they are creating a very bad influence on other inmates. Sir, we request you to take some action to shift them from the place or provide alternative accommodation,” a girl pleaded to the judges in her address on behalf of Nirmal Chhaya inmates.

Responding to the girls’ plea, Chatterjee promised to “look into the matter and do the needful”.

Officials later told reporters that Nirmal Chhaya was the government’s remand home, essentially meant to lodge destitute girls, who, however, have to share their accommodation with rescued sex workers, who do not have separate accommodation.

The officials explained that many times rescued sex workers openly discuss the way their customers used to treat them, causing acute embarrassment to the destitute girls, often of impressionable age below 18.

The officials said the matter has also been brought to the notice of the Delhi Government’s Child Welfare Committee, but no remedial measures have been taken so far.